Multiples of the Number: 7
by PineapplePhoenix
Summary: Stubborn, erratic, and a penchant for getting into bad situations at the drop of hat, Lucy's not exactly the easiest person to get along with, especially once she's had a few drinks- But she can't help it, honest! Constantly fighting to keep herself in check, fifteen year old Lucinda-May doesn't want much in life, but she's on a mission to find it; her denied happiness.
1. Blue Horizon

**Chapter 1: Blue Horizons**

* * *

"Tch, and there I was thinkin' I'd finally found my flow... but I think I've reached an impasse... Fate's a real bitch, huh?"

In a small boat trapped upon the thrashing waves of East Blue, was a petite, yet well-defined girl in her mid-teens. Her unkempt, raven black hair cascaded down her back in heavy, thick curls; long bangs shadowing over her eyes. Fine, faded scars danced across her pale skin; some hidden, some in plain sight. She was dressed in an oversized maroon t-shirt that hung well below her waist, black spandex leggings, and muddy combat boots that remained speckled with forgotten blood. Rusted iron gauntlets entrapped her forearms.

The girl shook her head sighing, and leaned back against an empty barrel. "Only a day out from the Calm Belt and I'm already in trouble. Not a tie-breaker, but it's close..." Turning her head to the left, she took in the full view of the swirling monstrosity beside her.

"Maybe next time, I should take a nap _before_ sailing alone on open water." She stated, absentmindedly twirling her hair around her finger. "That's what I get for trying to pick the more _responsible_ role model... I would've been better off following Red..."

The ravenette ignored the thought and began to stretch out the knots in her muscles. "Oh well, no time like the present to practice my swim moves! ~" She cheered through an overly trying smile.

"OK! Ready, steady- JUMP!"

* * *

A finger swept across the wood grains of the ship.

"Why is there dust on my bulwark?" Asked a tall, very obese woman with wavy black hair and freckles.

"A thousand pardons Lady Alvida! I-I thought I'd cleaned every inch of this ship...!" Cried a deck hand as he fell to his knees and begged forgiveness. "I'll clean everything all over again! Please-!"

""Please" what?"

"Please, not the Iron Mace! I…-I DON"T WANT TO DIE!"

A mass of iron clashed against flesh, as the force of impact sent the pirate flying back into the ocean's waves, leaving behind only a faint trail of blood.

Iron Mace Alvida turned to her crew. "Men... Who is the fairest throughout all the seas?"

They stood to attention and cried together in unison. "You are, Lady Alvida!"

"Correct! This is why I will not tolerate any imperfections. The ship I sail in must be as clean and beautiful as I am... understood?"

 _*thud*_

"Well shit... if that's true than... oh dear God-"

Everyone's mouths dropped dramatically to the floor, as they turned to see a gorgeous girl who assertively stood on the white bulwark; one hand on her hip, and the other combing through her sparkling, wet hair.

She jumped down to the main deck and pushed her way through the group of pirates. "Sorry! ~ I got lost, see? First it was the Calm Belt, then this Sea King nest, and then there was this whirlpool- _A_ _ **very**_ _big whirlpool mind you_ \- And then there you were... sitting out on the ocean like a... well, like a ship..." She coughed into her fist. "So ugh, do you guys have like a map 'er something? Some booze would be nice, too..."

A tick mark appeared on the obese she-captain's forehead, followed by an intense dark aura.

"- Ooh! And some dry clothes, food, all your valuables... and a massage maybe? No? Ah well..."

"ENOUGH!" Alvida screamed as she charged forward, raising her mace above her head and swinging it down on the insolent intruder. The girl quickly stepped to the side and let the black iron mace smash into the deck, splintering the wood, and leaving a small, rugged hole in its wake.

"I missed...?" The pirate captain asked, swinging her club back up and rested it on her shoulder. "This time for cer-" She turned to face the raven haired teen only to find she was no longer there. Swiveling her head, Alvida looked around the ship for the girl, finding her casually opening up some of their rooms and looking inside.

"...Ehh...? Not this one either... shit, and I'm usually pretty good at this game too, what bites...? Maybe-"

The ravenette felt a breeze and she quickly ducked, the large mace passing just a notch above her head as it swept through the wall, hurtling wood planks in either direction.

Alvida looked down at the girl below her weapon, and smirked when she saw her trembling. "Ha! You may be quick but-!"

Lucy launched an uppercut into the portly woman's jaw. "THE FUCK'S WRONG WITH YOU!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Are you trying to blow my brains into a gajillion pieces!?"

The girl angrily snatched the mace and threw it into the ocean with a plop. "If you like bashing people's heads in so much... Go do it for a living in hell! I'm sure they'd be happy to hire a fourth old hag! Fuck off and let me plunder your dumb ship in peace!"

She groaned and threw her head back to the sky, pinching the bridge of her nose. _Calm down Lu... there just third-rate losers..._

The Alvida Pirates watched on in shock; for the weapon that they had come to greatly fear, to be inconsequentially tossed aside like a tree branch, unnerved them. Especially when, left in its stead, appeared to be an emotionally unstable, slightly psychotic, hot tempered teen.

The pirate captain hung half-way over the side of the boat, staring at the blue sea that greedily swallowed her namesake. "M-my mace..." A vein popped out of her forehead and she quickly turned, shoving her finger into the girls shoulder. "YOU...! Do you know what I had to pay to get that thing custom made!?"

Sweat dropped down the ravenette's temple. "More than anyone would pay to have you, that's for damn sure..." She waved her hand in front of her face dismissively. "Do you even realize how big of a turn off you are in that get up...? Seriously, NO ONE goes for that; not even other freaks... And by the way, don't call me YOU, it's degrading. I have a name just like everyone else, and it's Lucy. You'd better not forget it!"

A second and third vein sprouted right beside the first. "Well, do I even...!" Alvida moved to strangle Lucy, who ducked out of her reach and ran. "COME BACK HERE!"

Alvida ran after her, chasing her in a viscous circle around the ship and back again. Lucy didn't stop until the she-captain plopped face first into the floor boards, out of steam.

"Ahh well... she almost finished the half mile..." Lucy stated inexpressively as she walked back towards the main deck. "She was doing so well too."

One of the braver crew mates walked up to Lucy, pistol in hand, and poised it right at her head. "Ju-just who are you anyway? A bounty hunter? Or just a dirty thief?"

The teen cutely cocked her head in question a pointed to herself. "Me? A dirty ol' thief? It's not nice judge others that you've only just met Mr. Pirate..."

She pressed her finger against the nozzle of the gun and gingerly pushed it back and whispered in his ear, " _Didn't your daddy ever tell you its bad luck to point a gun at a lady?_ "

The pirate gulped, knowing he messed up as he hesitantly shifted his eyes toward the frigid, piercing gaze of the girls startling gold irises.

The gun slipped out of his clammy, trembling hands, and into its new wielders.

Lucy smiled brightly as she reloaded it. "Ehhh~ I've been looking for one of these. Mine got accidently eaten by a panda shark while I was swimming away from the whirlpool. But the poor guy was just so friendly and cute that I had to let it slide. Thanks a bunch Mr. Pirate lackey!"

She blinked and looked down at pirate that had been recently reduced to a puddle of cold sweat, wrapped in ball on the floor beside her. "Don't be a baby; stand up and fight like a man, or I'll squash you like the bug you're pretending to be."

When he took too long to respond, she kicked him overboard.

"Well then..." Lucy tied her damp hair up into a ponytail and smiled warmly at the remaining group. "Like I said, the name's Lucy and I'll be commandeering this ship for a bit." She bowed respectfully. "Thanks in advance..."

"WHAT!" They all cried in astonishment at her brashness.

Alvida wobbled back over glaring darkly at the small girl, albeit the fact that her face was blown up like a grape, and could barely stand up. "What makes you think I'm just going to hand over control of my ship and my crew willingly?! You little brat!"

"Hmph... I'm not about to be intimidated by a ragtag group of insects." She drew the newly received pistol and playfully pointed it towards the crew's captain. "Hey did you know...? I don't even need a gun... to riddle your body full of holes."

She slipped the pistol into the back of her pants and refitted her iron gauntlets. "It's just for show really; guns are pretty ineffectual for anything else. After all, why waste bullets when all you need, is _**one little finger**_?"

* * *

Sniffing, Lucy made her way to the kitchen entrance and opened the door, looking around at the half-empty pantry. She entered and began to show herself around the fridge, taking out all the food and placing it on the counter. As she closed the fridge door, she noticed a, timid, chubby boy with pink hair and blue, round framed glasses, hiding in the corner.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders, and took a look at her soon-to-be meal, frowning. "...Gah... bread, bread, bread, meat, more bread... Oh look, cherry pie... Eesh, no wonder she's a sight for sore eyes; _no one_ eats bread all the time and walks away from it... Well, at least there's no rat in- Why don't they have water?! Are they trying die of malnutrition?! What idiot's own nothing but bread and wine!?"

The boy looked at her warily from the corner. _Who is she...? A pirate? A bounty hunter? Maybe she's a Marine and she's here to rescue me!? N-no...! Don't delude yourself Coby... even if she was, you're their cabin boy. Even though you were forced into being one... I suppose I'd still be called a pirate... But maybe...-_

Lucy watched the boy battle himself, continuously shaking his head then, nodding and repeating. She wondered when he'd just get up and ask her the damn question, instead of thinking about it.

"E-Eh hehe... U-Um, excuse me...? W-Who are you?" He asked, shaking.

Lucy stared at him as she popped the last of the bread in her mouth, then bit the cork top of the wine bottle and pulled it out, spitting it onto the counter. She swigged the bottle back and forced the tart, burning red contents down her throat before abruptly stopping.

"Gah! That's better... if only they had vodka instead… it goes down easier. Not that I should be drinking in the first place. I don't want to end up a destitute drunk like _them_." She swirled the wine around in the glass bottle and glumly looked at its contents, before setting it on the table and diving back into the food _._

"Ya know..." She said with her mouth full. "If you wanta ask me somthin', ya gotta be more direct! Jeez, I mean, what kinda sorry excuse for a human are you?"

The boy looked up at her, trying to summon up the courage to speak.

"Who are you?" He said finally without, choking up.

"I'm Lucy!" She said smiling brightly, allowing the pink-haired boy to loosen up.

"Coby... My name is Coby, and... I'm not really a pirate..."

Lucy half ignored him and took another sip from the wine bottle, wishing she was drowning at the bottom of it.

"I'll never forget that fateful day..." Coby began. "I just wanted to go fishing... and I boarded a pirate ship by mistake. That was two years ago. In exchange for my life, I now work as their cabin boy..."

She started laughing. "You go around telling every new face ya meet your life story?"

Coby's face turned beat red in embarrassment.

"Sorry, sorry~ you're kinda' clumsy and dumb, huh?" Lucy retorted as she stretched her arms out to the side. "Don't worry! Everyone's got their awkward years!"

Coby looked up, a light blush forming on top of his red face. "R-Really?"

"Hmm? Yea I guess... but..." She placed a hand on his shoulder encouragingly. "I'm sure if you work hard enough you'll get better! Most defiantly probable! Like, above a 40 percent chance."

Coby looked at the ground, a small smile forming. "Th-Then... Do you think I can do it?" Lucy cocked her eyebrow up. "Do you think I have what it takes to become a marine?" Coby asked.

Lucy's sweat dropped and her face turned a ghostly blue. "A... a marine...? Well if that's what you want... then sure, go for it."

He nodded confidently, ignorant to the girls sour feelings "Then I'm gonna do it! I'm going to become a marine!"

The ravenette smiled at his new found determination if nothing else.

"H-Hey, Miss Lucy... wh-why... why are you on this ship anyway?" The pinkette asked looking up at her, as if realizing for the first time that they were on a pirate ship in the middle of the sea.

"Oh! Hehe, funny story!" She started laughing, pushing away her negative thoughts to the far corners of her mind. "See, my boat got swallowed up by this giant whirlpool, so I had to find another boat, yea? So that's when I see you guys approaching and I hopped on board and took over!"

Coby sprung up from the floor. "Your ship got sucked into that giant whirlpool we passed!? And then you just "hopped on our ship and took over"!?"

"More or less I suppose..."

"That means you-you defeated Alvida! N-No way! That's impossible! Impossible! Impossible! Impossi-!"

Lucy quickly picked up, and shot the cork stopper at his head, hard, leaving a small, swelling welt.

"O-Ouch!" He exclaimed in pain, rubbing his forehead. "Why did you do that?"

The girl shrugged. "Why I didn't think to do that twenty seconds earlier is the better question."

Coby looked at the floor, downtrodden. "...How? How did you defeat her? Iron Mace Alvida? She's one of the top pirates in East Blue..."

"Really...? If that's East Blue's top then I'd hate see their bottom... No wonder Red comes out here to vacation." She stuck her pointer finger into her mouth and began picking her teeth, making her way towards the exit. "Anyway I'm not here on vacation, so I'll be leaving now. See ya later, Smoby!"

"Wh-What?! Lucy, wait! Don't leave! Please take me with you!" Coby screamed, chasing after her. "And that's not my name!"

Lucy ran out onto the deck, a light breeze passing through her soggy clothes and sea sprayed hair. _Hmmn... I knew I knew I should've stowed away on the cruise ship instead. I really need that hot bath and all you can eat buffet right now..._

"...Brat... you said your name was Lucy, right?"

The teen girl spun around, and saw the large figure of Alvida leaning on the siding, nose swollen, and wrapped in bloody bandages from the chest down.

Lucy blinked, then and crossed her arms. "Yea? What about it?"

"You sure know how to step on people and make them feel insignificant, don't you?" The older woman asked, accusingly pointing at Lucy with her chubby finger, the bright red nail polish shining in the sun.

Lucy shrugged. "Matter of perspective I guess... from the way I see it, you tried to smash my brains in, and I just protected myself... no big deal or anything." She scratched her nose, not caring about the conversation in the slightest. "Though... sorry about the whole... hole situation. I made sure I didn't puncture anything though, just change the bandages regularly and rinse the wound sight with a light alcohol solution and you'll be fine in a couple weeks." She began to walk away with an aloof yawn. "Also, don't lift heavy objects or bend over. Doctors' orders..."

"Tch... some doctor you are... Who nearly kills a person then patches them up?" Alvida turned and walked back toward the stern lowering a dinghy into the clear, blue water and jumped in it. "Whatever, you can keep the ship... I'm taking a vacation. But next time we meet, I'll blow you away for sure."

The ravenette turned her head, twirling her bangs around her finger. "You don't actually have to leave the ship you know. Despite everything, I'm really just here for a lift; it does still technically belong to you."

Lucy left for the bow regardless, seeing the tiny boat that held Alvida drift away out of the corner of her eye. _Ah, pride is such a fickle thing..._

The petite girl went and plopped herself on the duck figure head, taking out the pair of aviator sunglasses she'd stuffed between her cleavage.

She leaned forward, and shifted her eyes one way then another, scoping out anything that looked interesting.

Suddenly, a glistening white cruise ship began to crawl into her horizon. _I'm in luck! My chance at a fresh change of clothes has just increased exponentially~!_

"Oi! Hey losers! Take me over to that fancy ship! They look like they have lot'sa loot!"

The Alvida pirates looked at each other, but decided it was probably better to get beaten the club, than by a bipolar psychopath, so they sailed toward it as directed.

One of the braver ones walked up to Lucy, timidly. "Umm, excuse me ugh, miss… Ma'am...? Where ugh... where did Lady Alvida go?"

The ravenette stood up, brushing down her cloths. "I believe... she's set off on a long and meaningful journey of self-acceptance, and discovery... _Well-_ that or she's gone off in search of a bar capable of serving someone her size so she can drink her weight in alcohol... Which is... probably more than any sensible bartender is legally capable of dealing out. Either way, looks like you're out of a job."

The pirate stood there for a second, registering what she said, before excitedly running to tell the others.

Lucy bent down, stretching, and then cracked her knuckles, watching the white ship draw closer, its clean sails reflecting the sun's yellow rays into the ocean, giving it a mirror like appearance.

A crowd of cheers rang out behind her.

-"Alvida's gone!"

-"Finally! That fat bitch was really starting to get on my nerves!"

Lucy stuck her hands in her pockets, oblivious to the happenings around her; her mind already off in its own little world.

The pirates calmed down, and began to talk amongst themselves, arguing over this and that, tit for tat, until finally, an agreement had been made.

"Miss Lucy!" The pirates called to her.

She bent over backwards, viewing them upside down. "Ugh-huh? Are you bothering me 'cause you decided you're ready to die like big boys, or did you want me to poke you full of holes too?" She asked sardonically.

"After a serious discussion... we decided to make you captain!" They all gave a half-hearted cheer.

Lucy sprang up into a normal posture and cracked her neck. "Yea, no... I really don't-"

The pirates let out a collected sigh of relief, knowing another unstable woman with violent mood swings would not be good on their life spans.

"Well whatever... can't tell an idiot to stop being an idiot, that'd be stupid. You'd be the real idiot in that scenario... wait...?" She scratched her head and turned to the pirates and yelled. "SHUT UP ASS-WIPES, I CAN BARELY HEAR MY OWN FUCKING THOUGHTS!"

Letting out a long, tired sigh, Lucy shook her wrists out and cracked her knuckles. "Look, whatever you do, I don't really care; just leave me out of it, understand? I don't care about any of you, and I certainly don't care if tomorrow, I see your carcasses washed up on a beach getting picked apart by birds!"

She coughed into her fist and recomposed herself. "Just... pretend I was never here."

The teen gave the ground beneath her a quick kick, as she jumped up and off the duck figure head. "May the parting winds, never allow us to meet again; Fare thee well!"

"L-Lucy! Wait!" Coby cried grabbing onto her leg like a small, frightened child as she leapt off the ground.

Lucy twisted around midair to see the pink-haired boy clinging onto her for dear life.

"Why are you following me?" She asked, shaking him off. She reached out and grabbed his wrist instead, so he didn't fall in the water as she kicked the air propelling herself with a strange force, leaving behind puffs of smoke.

Coby looked at her in wonder. "How did you do that!?"

"Hmm…?" She landed on the wooden deck with a loud thud, and blew the uneven bangs out of her eyes. "Do what? What'd I do?"

"What you did with your legs! They... It was like you were flying!" He yelled.

Lucy looked down at her legs, a blank expression of puzzlement on her face, before she hammered her right fist down into her open left palm.

"Oh...! Well it's just... you know...?"

Lucy, forgetting about the pink-haired tag-along, ran up to one of the ships attendants and loudly demanded he reveal the location of their vast food reserves. The man, however, fled in terror upon seeing the approaching pirate ship and ran to inform the others aboard. Lucy gave chase.

"Wait! You haven't told me where you-!" She stopped suddenly, feeling a strange sensation of déjà vu. As she looked around, she felt a body briskly bump into hers, nimble fingers reaching for her pocket.

Lucy grabbed the owner's wrist, twisting them around.

"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" The thieving girl scolded.

Lucy turned to face a slim, orange-haired teen, who desperately tried to free herself to no avail. "Sorry, but that's not where the goods are kept! ~"

The girl frowned and stopped struggling, letting her body fall limply to the floor.

The ravenette helped the red-head up and dusted her off. "My name's Lucy!" The red-head didn't say anything in turn. "...When someone gives you their name you're supposed to give yours in return. It's proper social etiquette."

A strand of blazing orange hair fell in front of her light brown eyes. "N-Nami..." She stated uneasily, brushing the strand behind her ear. She fixed her orange mini-skirt from riding up and striated the white and blue stripped shirt back down, dangerously eyeing the other teen.

"Nami? I really like that name! Someone special must have picked it out! Yup!" Nami's face darkened and Lucy took note. "So... ah, what are you doing on this fancy cruise ship? Don't tell me you only came to steal money from some _clearly_ homeless young girl." The girl was about to tell her off when Lucy forcefully grabbed her hand and they began running in the direction of the bow. "Sorry! That was a ugh- what's it called a red-? no... retro- somthin' other? Eh, it doesn't matter! I think I like you, so I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Let go of me! I still haven't taken all of their treasure yet!" They skidded to a halt. Nami fell forward, face planting the wooden floor boards at the ravenette's sudden stop.

"Eh? You want their treasure? Got it! I'll get it for you, so stay here. I'll be right back!" She pushed the other girl into the dingy and ran off to find the pirate crew, leaving behind the dumbfounded red-head.

Nami, slowly got up, rubbing her forehead. _She's crazy, going to steal from those filthy pirates all by herself! But... maybe she'll be alright, she seems to know what she's doing; or at least she's confident that she does..._

"Lucy! Pl-Please wait for me!" Nami looked towards the direction of the shrill voice, and saw a blast of pink hair. Coby ran towards her and stopped. "O-Oh... You're not Lucy... Hehe... s-sorry..." He apologized, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Nami blinked. "Lucy?" The red-head asked him. "Is she about my height with long, black hair?" She asked.

"Y-Yea...! That's her!" Coby answered, relieved. "D-Do you two, know each other?" Nami shook her head, and stepped out of the boat carefully.

"No... I just met her a couple minutes ago. But if you're her friend then you have to stop her! She said she was going to steal treasure from those pirates!"

"Miss Lucy's... going to steal their treasure?" Coby asked thoughtfully. Nami nodded. "W-Well... I wouldn't worry about her... I h-heard the pirates cheering and stuff... hehe... I-It was pretty weird... I-I guess Alvida quit..."

Nami clenched her fists as she looked toward the direction Lucy had run off in. _That girl took out Iron Mace Alvida?! Already?! By herself?! That is_ so _not fair!_

"Oi! Nami! I got your treasure!" Called a distant voice that began to draw closer. "Sorry for the wait! I found this awesome salad bar! And-" She ran into Coby, knocking him into the dinghy.

She looked down, seeing Coby's face squished under her chest. "Eh? Moby, you're here, too? I see! You finally racked up the courage to escape all on your own, yea? Good for you!"

She jumped up, holding the bags of treasure out to Nami. "Here's everything I could find!"

Nami greedily grabbed the treasure bags and sorted through the pieces. "N-No way! There's over 40,000 berries here! I can't believe the Alvida Pirates had this much!"

The ravenette cutely rubbed the back of her head despite the devilishly innocent grin that shouted 'liar'. "Yup! Alvida sure knew how to rob rich people broke~"

Lucy grabbed the girls hand and forcefully led her into the dinghy, along with the treasure and Coby, and lowered them into the water with a splash.

Nami banged her on the head. "Idiot! Don't drag me along with you! I hope you know that what you're doing is basically kidnapping! But..." Her eyes turned into berry signs. "Thanks for all this great treasure!"

Lucy smirked, knowing she won, and pushed the bag closer to Nami with her feat. She then turned to Coby. "So ugh, does East Blue have any noteworthy swordsmen? I've been looking for one, but they usually just attempt to kill me on sight; very rude people they were."

"...Well... I suppose there is one guy... Roronoa Zoro; but-"

"-'Kay! Let's go check him out! You've got nothin' better to do _**right**_? After all I did just save you, _**right**_...?" Lucy mischievously asked (demanded) with a wink.

Coby looked up, watching a seagull pass overhead. "Y-yea... but... last I heard- he was arrested at the military base in Shells Town."

Lucy leaned back against the side, putting her arms behind her head and pouted. "Hmmnn... well whatever... maybe he's just an idiot... I can't really hold it against him until I meet the guy." She laughed. "I mean, it's not I like I myself, haven't ever been arrested by cruddy, incompetent marines! ~"

Both Coby and Nami, who had hung around the back of the boat keeping a wary eye on the black haired stranger, looked shocked.

"Eh!? Have you never heard of the Pirate Hunter Zoro! The Demon of East Blue!?" Nami yelled at her.

-"And what do you mean "cruddy marines?!" Coby question angrily.

Lucy was about to answer them when the two realized they'd missed the obvious question.

"YOU'VE BEEN ARRESTED!?" Nami and Coby realized in unison.

"Only four times; it's no biggie really, I escaped no problem."

The two passengers sighed, their heads hung low. _Great, where caught up with a known convict…_

"Anyway-" Lucy rubbed the back of her head. "Well... to answer Nami... I'm not from around here, in fact I just dropped in a couple days ago, and well, Doby-"

"-Coby"

"Yea, yea that... well..." Lucy looked up at the sky, in thought; the other two waiting in a thickening anticipation.

The ravenette looked back down at them, smiling. "So ugh, do you guys like charades? I do; I love charades- Oh look! A birdie!"

Nami and Coby fell dramatically backwards into the boat.

The red-head tsked in annoyance. "Whatever... where are we headed anyway? Because we keep going around in circles and it's driving me crazy!"

Lucy looked around. "Yea, you're right! How funny!"

Nami sighed and rubbed her temples. "Well, I was originally planning on heading to Shells Town anyway. So that's where we're headed."

Lucy coughed into her fist. "Soooo... about this Roronoa Zoro-"

"-How come you remember his name and not mine!?" Coby yelled at her from across the dinghy.

"Huh? Who're you? When'd you get here? Are you my conscience trying to tell me that I need an intervention from a clearly worsening addiction to drugs and alcohol? Because if you are, then you can just-! Wait where am I...?"

The pink-haired teen worriedly stared at her, not understanding the sarcastic quip. "You... really don't know...?"

Nami smacked the back of his head. "Idiot! You're all idiots!" She sat back with a huff and crossed her arms, one eye warily watching the young teen twirl her hair around her finger. "Although... there is something wrong with her, I'll give you that much..." She mumbled.

Lucy smiled and leaned back, staring at the cloudy sky through her black tinted sunglasses. "Something wrong with me...? Well of course there is. There isn't a single person on this sea who _isn't_ a little whacked up." She combed her fingers through her thick hair. "After all, _**no one**_ , is safe from the demon that is self-doubt."


	2. In What You Say

**Chapter 2: In What You Say**

* * *

"A monster, huh?" Lucy asked slightly interested.

Nami sighed; her arms wrapped around the giant bag of treasure next to her, as if guarding it.

"Yea, Roronoa Zoro is also known as the _"Pirate Hunter"_ , he's a really scary person..." Coby adjusted his glasses and gave the girl a serious look. "Rumor says, he's like a blood thirsty hound, wandering the seas, hunting down fugitives. He's a monster in the form of a man..."

The ravenette looked out into the horizon in thought. "Well, a rumor's a rumor. Some are true, some are almost true, and some are so utterly ridiculous that it's a wonder how people could actually believe it. But..." She scratched her slightly flushed cheek. "That rumor sounds kinda cool, even if it is only that... I think somthin' like that is..."

Lucy's face turned scarlet and she covered her mouth with her hand. "I wish the rumors about me sounded that mysterious..."

She closed her eyes and nodded her head. "Ugh-huh... something like; _'Cross-Stitch Lucy_ : Rumor has it, she's like a ghost wandering the accursed sea all alone, searching for vengeance against the world that justly killed her. Hey, did you hear? When she was just nine years old, she set fire to a government facility and trapped the inhabitants inside, laughing as they slowly burned alive. But when authorities went to investigate... all they found, were the shadows of marines being hung by a nose, scorched onto the walls... and an eerie sob echoing everywhere and nowhere... _"You did this... You did this..!"_ '."

Lucy watched Coby squirm in his seat, face blue, and sweating. She smirked and creepily grabbed him from behind. " _ **It was you!"**_

The pink-haired boy screamed out his lungs and unintentionally fell backwards out of the boat and into the ocean with a _*plop*_.

Nami jumped on her and tried to strangle her. "That's not a rumor, it's a ghost story!"

"...Wait, there's a difference?" Lucy honestly asked, but still gave her a somewhat apologetic smile anyway as she sat back up on her knees and made her way to the swimming boy.

She hung one leg over the side of the boat, and easily hoisted the waterlogged Coby back into the dinghy. "Hehe... S-sorry, my bad. Here..."

Without permission, she pulled his shirt over his head, and unwrapped the midnight blue sash that bound her upper torso and began to dry his hair. "Its bad luck to catch a cold at sea, ya' know?"

Lucy wrung the sash and his t-shirt out and shook them against the wind, drying the sopping garments.

Pressing the somewhat dried fabric against her face, she affirmed that they were no longer water logged, then pulled Coby's shirt back over his head, and wrapped her sash around Coby's neck like a scarf.

"There! All better!" She exclaimed, patting his head. "Now… let's see…" Lucy closed her eyes in thought, then stood up, tousling the rocky boat. "To make up for it...-"

The ravenette took a gulp of air and dived into the cold, brackish water; she didn't dare resurface until she was blue in the face.

Immerging from the cobalt depths, Lucy inhaled a long awaited breath, combing her salty bangs backwards through cold fingers. She shook her head from shoulder to shoulder, and pulled herself back into the crowded dinghy.

"I very sorry for troubling you…" The ravenette amended as she bent to her knees and bowed her head. "Please forgive my incivility; at times, I tend to over think things and then end up not thinking it through at all. So, in case I don't get a chance to say it in the future…."

Lucy looked back up at the two passengers, who both couldn't help but stare in muddled confusion, with a bright, yet apologetic smile. "Sorry…! My bad! ~"

* * *

Lucy all but ran off the dingy, escaping the awkward silence that had fallen over it.

"LAND!" She shouted with her arms raised high in the air, relieving her mind of heavy tension.

"Yep! Finally!" Coby happily cried, looking around him at the new setting before turning to complement Nami on her navigational skills; only to realize she'd disappeared.

"Wahh! She's gone!"

Lucy bent over backwards, facing Coby with her head upside down. "Yea... She left the moment we moored. I don't think she likes me…"

"Ah-ha ha, I ugh... wonder why…"

"Well whatever! I'm hungry let's go eat!" Waving her hand in a hurried dismissal, Lucy quickly started off, following the scent of her next meal.

Coby sweat-dropped at her sudden change in tune, but quickly ran to catch up when he realized that she'd left him behind.

"Hey, Toby? How many berries do you have?" She asked, stopped in front of a tavern and bouncing on the heels of her feet.

The boy sighed and pulled out his wallet, glumly staring at its near emptiness. "Coby… and I have about 2,000 berries; if we spend it wisely we could prob-"

"Great!" Lucy exclaimed happily, grabbing the entirety of his wallet. "Hey, hey! Bar lady! Get me as much food as this can buy!" She shoved the money into the bar keeps hand, sitting down on the nearest chair.

Coby just curled into a ball on the floor, depressed at how easily she had just stolen his life savings without a second thought. _Girls are supposed to be polite and gentle..._ he thought miserably. _I either have the worst luck or my whole world is just one giant lie..._

Lucy looked at the boy, confused at his actions. "If your upset I took your money than just protect it better, you're the one at fault for letting me nab it..."

A plate of food was placed in front of her and she immediately started digging in, blocking out all external communications.

Coby could only stare at the table in thought as he let himself get lost in the wood grains.

The ravenette leaned back in her chair, downing a jug of water before roughly placing it back on the table. "Hah, much better than bread..."

She glanced over at Coby from the corner of her eye and groaned. "Here…" She stated coolly, handing him the last plate of what remained. "D-don't you f-ing dare even _think_ about thanking me…!" Lucy stuttered, tightly gripping her tomato red face. "I'll punch you **got it**?!"

Jumping to her feet, the long-haired girl all but stumbled out of the bar. "We-we'll go our separate ways here! Th-thanks for the meal!"

The pinkette shot his head up, only for a sweat drop to slowly roll down the side of his face as the bumbling girl tripped and knocked a table over, sending the contents atop flying into the air. Thankfully, Lucy skillfully caught each of the platters and placed them back on the table as if nothing happened. A lone patron clapped at her display of nimble acrobatics.

Lucy placed her hand on the door and opened it slightly, but stopped and looked over her shoulder to see the boy who was still sitting at the table dumb founded. "Oi! You… do your best to be a great marine, yea?"

Coby shot his head up and looked at Lucy, tears forming in his eyes.

"I will...! Thank you so much Lucy, you really-"

"OK! I wonder if Zoro is still being kept at the Marine Base…?" Lucy asked aloud to no one in particular, completely ignoring Coby's words of friendship.

At the name Zoro, the whole tavern flipped over and its occupants braced against the wall in panic.

"…Must be somthin' in the water supply." Lucy mumbled with a smirk as she left the premises. "Idiots…"

Coby just watched her leave, sinking into his chair and giggled sheepishly.

* * *

"It looks pretty ugly up close..." Lucy said as she gazed up at the towering fortress, and began feeling around for any presence.

Lifting herself up to the top of the wall, she let her eyes wander slightly, spotting a person tied to an execution post in the center of an, otherwise empty yard.

She pushed up and prepared to lift her leg to hop the wall when a squeaky voice shouted her name.

"Lucy! Wait!"

Lucy turned her head to see Coby running towards her panting heavily. Standing in front of the wall, he fell to his knees, gasping for air.

She sighed, turning her attention back to the yard. "Sheesh, Doby, your cardio is awful..."

Coby shrugs the statement off, instead focusing on climbing up the wall to position himself near her; but as soon as he was up, he was down.

"It... It's him! It's Roronoa Zoro! Th-Th-That black bandanna and haramaki around his waist... and that intimidating aura...! It's Zoro!"

Lucy, for the most part, had ignored his outburst of fear, and just continued to observe the man. _So that's Zoro..._

Nodding her head confidently, she swung her left leg over the wall. "All righty then, I'll just head on over there, untie him, and be on my way."

Coby narrowed his eyes, not believing what he was hearing. "S-Stop joking! If you free him, he could make a mess in the town and even kill you!"

"Hey, you!" Called a deep, tired voice.

The ravenette snapped her head toward the speaker, her brow slightly raised.

"Could you fucking... shut up? I've been tied up for over two weeks and I'm exhausted... Better yet..." He looked up at them, clearly annoyed. "If you come over here and untie me, I could hunt down a bounty and give you the rewards. I'm not lying... I keep true to my words..."

"No... Don't do it Lucy! Don't be tricked by his words! If you free him, he'll kill us and escape!"

Lucy gave a bemused smirked, leaning her chin in her palm. "Oh…? ~ So I guess you're a bounty hunter then? That's cute…" She looked around the execution grounds, rhythmically tapping her fingers on the stone wall. "What's even cuter is the fact that the marine's thought it was a good idea to leave such a notorious and deadly man such as yourself, out in the open without any guards posted." She smiled brightly, and looked up the towering blue building. "I mean, just about anyone could-"

 _*clunk*_

"Hmm?" Coby and Lucy looked to their right to see a little girl with brown hair climb up the wall next to them.

"Shh!" She held a finger to her mouth motioning them to be quiet as she hopped over the wall and fell the ground, clutching a bag to her chest.

"Ah...! Don't do it! It's dangerous!" Coby yelled out to the girl who was already making her way to the captive Zoro. "Lucy, go stop her! She could be killed!"

"If you're so concerned for her safety then do it yourself..." The girl muttered watching the scene with interest.

The bounty hunter clicked his tongue. "Do you want to die or something...? Get lost!"

The little girl smiled and held up her untied bag revealing two rather round, onigiri. "U-Umm, big brother, I made some onigiri for you! You haven't eaten for a long time, right?" She walked closer and held it up, offering it to him. "This is the first time I've made them but-"

"I'm not hungry!" Zoro quickly exclaimed. "Go away!"

"But..." The girl started, trying to think up an excuse to make him eat.

"I don't want it! Leave me alone! I'll kill you if you don't beat it!"

Two Marines entered the yard, accompanied by a strange looking man who thought it was a good time to ruin the mood.

"Roronoa Zoro!" The man called teasingly. "Don't pick on little kids or else I'll have to report to my father about it."

Zoro shifted his glare away from the girl and directed it towards the newcomers.

Lucy rested her chin on the top of the wall, arms dangling over the edge, and sighed. "Some weirdo came..." She stated monotonously, also becoming irritated.

The man child was pale and lanky, who strut around like he owned the place. Sporting a unique purple dress suit and an outlandish banana-blond bowl cut, you could tell he had serious issues.

"He must be someone important in the marines... Thank goodness, now the girl will be safe..." Coby said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Lucy's head crashed into the top of the wall. _Is he... serious?_ She turned to face him, seeing his thankful expression and relaxed body. _There's no way, he's this delusional... That sleaze ball is obviously not good news!_

"Tch... If it isn't the lieutenant's bastard son..." Zoro tsked, averting his iron gaze from the strangely dressed man.

"Bastard? Don't get cocky. My dad is a Marine Lieutenant!" He scoffed, and turned to the young brunette. "Well hello, little girl. These onigiri look pretty tasty!" He said snatching one of them and shoving it in his mouth before immediately spitting it out. "Blegh! Horrible! You put too much sugar into it! You're supposed to put in salt! Salt!"

The girl looked down sadly at her first ever cooking attempt. "But... But I thought they'd taste better sweet..."

As the man raised his hand to slap the rest of the food out of her hand, as if out of nowhere, a three gold needles as thin as paper and as long as a pen, lodged themselves into his elbow and neck, rendering him unconscious.

Lucy hopped over the wall and casually sauntered over to the downed man. "Oh my, I guess someone has come down with a sudden case of narcolepsy, how dreadful!"

She covertly removed the nearly invisible needles and slid them back beneath her arm guards. "I recommend some aroma therapy and acupressure to cure his sleepless nights... Well come along then you lot, bring him to his room." She said, motioning the marine triad over to Helmeppo. "You strapping young men aren't going to leave the heavy lifting to a frail young woman are you?" She shook her head in disappointment. "How unseemly."

The marines rushed over and grabbed the unconscious man. "We'll ugh... take it from here then..." They assured as they ran off to the base, leaving the three bystanders to their own devices.

Lucy turned around and gently patted the girl on the head. "What a scary experience, you okay?"

The girl sniffed and rubbed her eyes free of any forming tears. "Y-Yea... Thanks, for saving me."

"Oh, no there's no reason too. He fell asleep all on his own" She smiled calmly, taking the girl's small hand in her own. "C'mon I'll lift you back over the wall."

"Wait... can you give this to big brother for me? I'm sure he's really hungry, even if he says he isn't..."

Lucy smiled at her and nodded, taking the carefully wrapped onigiri from her hand and helped her over the wall.

"Hey, Coby?" She asked, calling the pink-haired boy back to reality. "Walk her home 'kay? I've got business to finish here." He nodded his head slowly, processing his jumbled thoughts, and the two dropped down behind the wall and out of sight.

She turned around quickly, feeling the "Pirate Hunter's" merciless green eyes, piercing into her back, studying her curiously. She grabbed her sunglasses from her bra strap, and replaced them over her eyes.

Lucy put on a quick smile and began walking closer, forcing his ever-present scowl to deepen.

"Why are you still here? Do you want to cause trouble with the Marines?" He closed his eyes and leaned back against the post.

She stayed her ground, and began to unwrap what remained of the girl's gift.

"Eh… been there, done that." She said holding the round onigiri out to him. "Want it…?"

Zoro clicked his tongue and turned his head away from the meddling teen. "Not hungry..." He replied, though his stomach said otherwise.

The ravenette hummed, thinking up a dubious plan of attack. "That's a real shame… What? Don't tell me you're just a big bully who'd let the gift some poor girl poured her heart and soul into making go to waste~" Lucy teased, back turned to him.

She shrugged. "Oh well… I guess I'll just go back and tell her that 'big brother' Zoro hated her lovely first attempt at cooking… She'll probably want to cry, but'll hold back the tears as hard as she can a say, "I-it's okay! I'll j-just have to try again! This time for sure…! He'll-"

"Shut up, I fucking get it already! Jeez…" Zoro tsked as he turned his head to the side, a small blush hiding under heavy layers of blood and grime.

Lucy smiled in her victory, and twirled around, carefully cramming the round onigiri into the green-haired swordsman's mouth, which he'd begrudgingly opened at last.

She watched him choke it down, only shuddering once from the overwhelming amount of sugar.

"…It… was very good. Tell her I said thanks…"

Lucy bit down on her knuckle, trying hard to suppress the urge to giggle. "pfht…"

He glared at her, enveloped in a dark aura that seemed to go unnoticed by the younger girl.

"So…" Lucy shrugged it off, and gestured her thumb to the base. "Need me ta' break you out, or what?"

Zoro tsked and turned his head away from hers. "What are you going on about? I don't need anyone to break me out. I've got it covered."

Lucy's eye twitched. "…You're right… how silly of me… I was just thrown off by the lack of movement, but I guess everyone's got their own pace and we need to be respectful of that."

"Has anyone ever told you, that you're a real bitch?"

"Has anyone told you you're insults are boring and over used? Seriously, is 'bitch' like, the only word a man can call a pretty young lady who's just hurt their pride?"

"…" Zoro's brow furrowed into knots. "I'm… too tired to think of anything better…"

"Right… I can understand just how tired you must be, what with all that _progress_ you've been making."

"I WILL FUCKING CUT YOU!"

"Yep, I'm scared now… Ooooh~ the swordless swordsman wants to slice me in two~" Lucy chuckled behind her hand. "Well, after all, you can't cut me, until _someone_ cut's you down first."

The ravenette smirked and turned her attention towards the seemingly quiet base. "Now I _could_ be the one to fix that little dilemma of yours, but you're not playing nice."

Zoro grumbled curse words under his breath before letting out an annoyed sigh. "What do you want?"

"Oh…? What do I want?" The raven haired girl asked holding her own hands behind her back. "You've got it all backwards. I don't want anything."

"Then why bother?"

"Well…" Lucy twisted her lip and looked up at the sky. "If you knew beforehand, that no matter how hard you tried, or how long you practiced, that you'd eventually fail… then would you even bother trying in the first place…? Any human with half-a-brain would say 'no', and quickly move on to something they _will_ succeed in, but…" An awkward chuckle escaped her lips, "-for some reason, no matter how much I reason my way out of it, I can't help but keep trying. If in the end, all I have left are my scars, does that make me a loser…?"


	3. Tax Returns

**Chapter 3: Tax Returns**

* * *

"-…175…182…189… Damn… Not this room either."

Lucy huffed as she closed yet another door. "How many fucking rooms can one building house any way…?" She asked, exasperated, before continuing on to the next.

She coughed into her fist. "Ugh-hum…196…203…210…217…22-"

 _*thump*_

The ravenette stopped mid-count, and looked up, having thought she'd heard footsteps above her. "Maybe… they know where Zoro's swords are…?"

She didn't wait to question it. Running toward the end of the hallway she found the miraculously appearing stairwell. But unfortunately, the miraculous stairwell did not come with a miraculous key.

The heavy metal door atop the stairs, was dead bolted twice over.

Lucy tsked, and opened up her backpack, rummaging through layers of seeming useless knickknacks. "Fuck… out of lock picks."

Through the bars Lucy took a quick scan, searching for possible threats. Finding none, she aimed her right fist against the lock. "Might as well just try."

She took a deep breath. " _ **Iron Body- Partial Technique**_ …" Her fist shot into the lock, depressing the metal enough that she could pry the lock out of the door frame.

Lucy winced, taking a brief moment to assess her hand, and immediately frowned.

"…Shit…" She dismayed, pressing her left thumb over her cracked knuckles of the opposite hand. "I swear if it's not one thing, it's another… "

 _*thump*_

"Speaking of 'another's'…" Lucy followed the sound into the next hallway after, to find two marines passed out on the floor. "… No one told _me_ they were throwing a party…"

Lightly stepping around them, the young teen pressed her back up against the wall, and peeked through the small crack in the doorway. When she was sure no one was right there, she opened it up a little more, and snuck a small step inside.

She was blatantly surprised when she was met with a familiar orange-haired thief. Maybe a little _too_ surprised.

"N-Nami?!" The ravenette stuttered in shock, causing the older girl to immediately jump, and instinctively snap together her wooden bo-staff. "I didn't peg you for the type to steal directly from a marine-!"

Lucy grinned from ear to ear and gave her a thumbs up. "Nice going! Now let's go swipe all their left socks and reverse all the bathroom signs!"

"Don't lump me in with you! I told you I only steal from pirates! And… this map that isn't here." Nami scolded, then remembered the second part. "… Besides! There's no way I'm laying a finger on their dirty laundry!"

"Nami, you're supposed to say, 'but Lucy, how do we tell the difference between their left and rights?'. And then I would reply, 'I have no clue!' But I hear that's what trolls like to do; a giant told me that."

"…" Nami let out a sigh and crushed the dingy paper in her hand and shoved it in her pocket. "Why should I care about your strange interest in a troll's socks?"

Lucy shook her head and face palmed. "The sock's don't belong to the trolls Nami. They stole them from humans who forgot where they put their socks. And hey! Did you know? Sometimes when you put a sock on your hand, they're able to talk. It's actually... well..."

She cupped the side of her mouth and leaned towards Nami and secretively whispered. _"Just watch out for Lefty, he's a little on the crazy side… we try not to talk about it though- It set's him… off."_

"…Oh… I ugh… see…" Nami's face twitched, and she pulled her shirt collar away from her body."…Well by!"

"Ah-! Wait a second!" Lucy called after the fleeing red-head. "Do you know where-!?"

Without paying attention, the ravenette tripped over an up-turned rug, and slammed right into Nami, sending the two of them tumbling down the hall, and into a cluster of marines.

The sound of a four loaded guns was all that kept the navigator from strangling her unsavory companion.

"State your name and business, or I'm afraid where going to have to arrest the both of you for trespassing onto government property."

Nami shoved the ravenette of her and waved her hands in front of her, trying to ease her way out of the situation. "I'm so sorry, sir! My name's Nami and I was here about the job opening you recently posted!" She clapped her hands together in apology. "No one was around, so I was going to leave, but then I saw this, _clearly suspicious person_ sneaking in, so I tried to apprehend them, but…"

Sweat dripped down Lucy's temple as she listened to Nami's ploy, knowing she was about to be thrown under the bus, and tried to think her own way out of it. After all, she wasn't about to be shown up, and these marine's didn't look all that bright.

" _But_ do to unsatisfactory elements, they got away…" Lucy started, the marine's switching their attention to her. "I'm afraid what this lass says is true. I also believe, I may be able to ascertain the identity of this heinous criminal as well…"

The marine chief petty officer looked at her quizzically, not quite sure where this was headed. "And you are…?"

Lucy stood at ease, her feet spread at shoulder width, and her hands clasped behind her back. "January. I bear allegiance to Cipher Pol Number 8, and am currently tracking a known fugitive by the name, "Cross-Stitch Lucy"; perhaps you've heard tale of her?"

The unnamed seamen exchanged fearful looks. "Cipher Pol…? What's a government agent doing out here?"

The stout officer shook his head. "No, I… I don't believe I have. Is she dangerous?"

"Highly. I advise against direct confrontation, and leave it to the professionals." Lucy smirked and readjusted her aviator sunglasses with the tip of her middle finger. "If you wouldn't mind dear, would you be so kind as to show me around? There is a major possibility that she yet remains in the base- just under our noses."

The chief petty officer stood at attention. "It'd be an honor to show you around, however I'm afraid I've been sent by the Lieutenant to execute –"

"-Need I report to command?" Lucy questioned authoritatively. "Protocol demands you follow the orders of any higher ranking official then oneself. When I speak, you **will** listen, and what I ask, you **will** do. Are we clear?"

The four marines cleared to either wall beside her, in acknowledgment. "Sir, yes sir!" They unanimously saluted.

Lucy devilishly grinned upon her decisive victory, leaving only Nami to wonder-

 _How the hell did they buy into it so quickly!?_

* * *

"What?! Lucy stormed off into the base by herself!?"

The bounty hunter sighed in annoyance. "Isn't that what I just fucking finished telling you?"

Coby chuckled nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Y-yea..." He looked over his shoulder at the marine base, and took a deep breath. _I'm gonna stand up for myself, and do what_ I _think is right._ He exhaled and walked over to Zoro and began fiddling with the bindings.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing kid! If you help me they're going to kill you too! Besides, that crazy girl's already helping me, and I don't want to owe someone else; so beat it!" Zoro spat angrily at him.

"This has nothing to do with that! You shouldn't have been wrongly arrested! Rika told me everything..." He shook his head, frustrated. "I can't stand the fact that the marines are acting this way! I'm going to become a marine who protects the innocent because it's the right thing to do, and for no other reason!" He proclaimed confidently, though his body shook.

His grip on the ropes tightened. "I think I can understand now, at least a little bit, why Lucy doesn't like the marines. She didn't say anything, and so I didn't either... but, when Helmeppo showed up, and started getting aggressive with the townspeople, and even at his own men, it hit me. Lucy, she… she must've been pushed around too; and it makes me wonder, just how many more people are being taken advantage of by the same people that are meant to protect them?" Coby bit the inside of his cheek. "Lucy told me to become a great marine, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do! And If I die protecting the justice that _I_ believe in... Then that's fine!"

 _*BANG*_

Ruby blood spurted out of Coby's left shoulder as his body fell backwards onto the barren gravel.

"I'm GONNA DIEE!" He dramatically shouted, his body sprawled out in all directions.

Zoro shifted his head towards the roof of the base, sweat dripping down his temple. "… You okay…?" He asked sympathetically, watching the pinkette have a minor panic attack just three feet away. "Just hurry up and get out of here, the marines are probably gonna come down here soon and finish the job."

"No…!" Coby cried, trying to catch his breath as he sat up, tightly holding his wounded shoulder. "I've… got to set you free as soon as possible…!"

"Look, there's no reason for you to worry about me. As long I can stand this for a month, they'll set me free. Just hurry up and lea-"

"THERE NOT GOING TO SET YOU FREE!" Coby screamed as he shakily made his way to his feet. "Because Helmeppo was just doing it to pass time, but… now that it's not, he's gonna have you killed tomorrow morning!"

Zoro stared at the younger boy in shock. "What…!? Damn it, that bastard promised he'd leave everyone alone!"

"He never intended to keep his promise! That's why…" Coby gripped his shoulder tightly. "Grr… I spent too much time around Lucy, and so I ended up breaking his nose…!" _Gaaah! Why did I do that…? Stupid, stupid, stupid…!_

"Y-you… did what…?!"

* * *

Lucy skidded to a halt in front of a door with a sign that read, "My Room".

"Well, this is the only room they didn't show me so..." With two kicks, she broke the door open. Running into the room, she saw weapons neatly lined up against the walls; sitting in the corner, clearly out of place, three katana. "Bingo."

She grabbed them quickly making a makeshift rope and strapped them to her back. "Alright, now I just…" The ravenette hurried over to the window and kicked it open, shards of glass falling from the fourth floor down to the first. "I hope Nami was able to finish up here, I don't know what's gonna happen next but it won't be pretty…" Lucy remarked as she saw both Zoro _**and**_ Coby in the execution yard, about to be sprayed by bullet fire. "God damn it Coby, what did you do…?!"

 _*Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang*_

" _ **Shave**_ **-"** In one quick motion, Lucy jumped in front of the bullets from the windowsill. _**"Iron Body!"**_

-"You...!?"

-"Lucy!"

The carefully aimed shots hit the young girl squarely in the abdomen. However, upon colliding with her hardened skin, they fell flat against the ground.

"Ghaaa… Yup… I felt that…" She doubled over slightly clutching her stomach. "Shoot, I'm gonna wake up black and blue tomorrow, I just know it…"

Coby, Zoro, and each of the thirty marines, stared at her in disbelief.

"You're… not dead!?" The pink haired boy shouted, happy, but in definite shock.

"Well… I'm not; but my capillaries? They're probably not as lucky…"

Said ravenette, twisted around to face them, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Hehe… sorry I… ran into trouble. Who knew a circular building could have so many hallways?"

Coby fell to the ground, smiling and unconscious, as he clutched his shoulder. Blood splotched his white shirt.

Lucy silently eyed it, as she walked over towards them, removing the three katana from her back.

The marines whispered amongst themselves, wondering what happened to the bullets. Morgan's scowl deepened as realization began setting in.

"Anyway, here..." She held out the katana to him. "These are yours right? 'Cause I'm not making a second trip."

"Yea, those are all mine. Now hurry up."

The ravenette smiled, pulling the katana back to her.

"So~ what do you say next?"

"Just fucking cut me down already!"

"Hmph… with an attitude like that I'm not surprised they left you outside…." Regardless, Lucy pulled out a small pocket knife and flipped it open, cutting through the rope bindings with ease.

Zoro staggered a bit as he came the post, but quickly caught himself, and stood straight, snatching his katana from out of her possession. He placed them under the haramaki, keeping his hand on their hilts, and went to stand in-between the black-haired teen and their foes. "Heh… Thanks."

Lucy puffed out her flushed cheeks and looked away, not prepared for the unexpected 'thank you'. "…N-no problem…"

"Earlier you asked me what my ambition was... but I don't ever remember you revealing yours."

Lucy paused, and looked up at the sky. "I wouldn't call it an ambition… and I certainly wouldn't call it a dream either."

The ravenette tied her back into a ponytail, frowning. "There's a place I must return to, no matter what; but the way I am now…" She instinctively gripped her left bicep with a pained expression. "Well, even if I were to make it back, I know I'd feel nothing but shame."

Lucy bit her lip in frustration. "I… am sick of _surviving_ , so _fucking_ **sick** of it. I just want to start living again, even if it means I'll die."

Zoro glanced at her over his shoulder, watching her attitude take a 180 from where it had been just moments before. He then drew his swords, clamping the white one between his teeth.

"Unfinished business to attend to?" Morgan threw his coat off his body and raised his axed hand, ready to attack. "That's too bad, but none of that matters since nobody is making it off this island alive!" He charged at her, raising his ax above his head, and swung it down at the ravenette.

 _*Clang!*_

Zoro stopped the ax with his swords, before it had a chance to even reach her. "Oi... watch where you swing that thing, someone might get hurt."

Morgan jumped back, holding it up near his face in a defensive position. "Hehe, Roronoa Zoro... I've heard a lot about you, it seems... not all the rumors about you are entirely wrong. Even half-dead, you still put up quite a fight!"

The green-haired man swung his sword down and turned to look at the girl behind him, ignoring the rant of the corrupt lieutenant.

"I said I'd go with you, and I'll hold true to my word... but while I'm traveling with you, keep in mind that the _only_ thing I purely dedicate myself to, is my ambition of becoming the world's greatest swordsman." He tightened his grip on the katana, scowling. "It's my first priority, got it?"

Lucy nodded her head. "Deal."

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS STANDING BACK THERE LIKE A SWARM OF IDIOTS?!" Axe-Hand Morgan scolded the panicking marines. "HURRY UP AND FINISH THOSE TWO OFF!"

The marines cast each other passing glances, wondering what to do. They gulped, readying their weapons, and then ran in for the attack as one.

"How long do you think it would take you to take these guys out?"

He slid one of his black katana back into its sheath. "I don't know… maybe twenty seconds?"

"Then I'll get the small fry just this once." She kicked the ground in ten rapid kicks. _**"Shave!"**_ Moving faster than the normal eye could follow, Lucy weaved her way through the band of marines. "Now- _**Finger Pistol!"**_

The marines fell one by one to their knees, blood staining their white uniforms around the tiny, bullet shaped perforations left below their collar bones.

Lucy repapered behind them, flinging the excess blood of her pointer finger. " _That's_ for hurting Coby you pricks…!" She yelled in spite.

"You…!" Morgan recomposed himself. "You're not normal, when you repelled those bullets, I had my doubts, but there's no denying it now- you must have eaten one those devil fruits!"

\- "A- A devil fruit...?!"

\- "You mean those things exist?!"

\- "We can't fight someone like that! Zoro alone is handful enough! We don't need to fight another monster!"

A vein popped out of Lucy's forehead. "Like hell I ate a devil fruit! I _like_ the idea of not having to worry about drowning thank you very much."

"Eh…? Oh, y-you're not?" One of the marine's sighed in relief. "I guess they really don't exist then…"

The ravenette rolled her eyes. _No point in correcting him; it's probably for the best anyway._ She watched them drop to the ground, as his knees buckled out from under him. _Yup… it's for the best._

"This is my command… Whoever… just said that… Get a gun and kill yourself!" The lieutenant ordered as he made his way towards Lucy. "I don't need… useless soldiers! _That's an order!_ "

The seamen shut their eyes, and shakily held their pistols to their heads.

"What the hell do these dumb marines think they're doing…?!" Zoro mumbled as he re-placed the white hilted sword between his teeth.

Lucy was already on the move before any damage could be done. "Oh please, please, _please_ work this time…! _**Tempest Kick…!"**_ She called, sending out a sharp, compressed air blade from her leg, and sent the marine lieutenant flying back into concrete fencing that surrounded the execution yard.

She breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank you 32%, once more we escape defeat of the other 68%._

The ravenette cautiously slumped to her knees, sweat accumulating on her brow. "… Sorry, I leave the rest to you…" She bequeathed resignedly to Zoro.

The green haired man said nothing as he cracked his neck in response.

The seamen recruits dropped their weapons in shock, as they stared at the smoking debris that fell atop Morgan.

-"Wh-what just happened…?" One of the marines asked.

-"I don't know! Just hope for the best, man…" Another responded, covering his ears.

The rubble shifted, and soon, Axe-Hand Morgan reappeared as he shoved the concrete slabs off of him. He stood, an intense dark aura flamed around him.

"GAHH! HOW DARE YOU OPPOSE ME! YOU TITLELESS SCUM!" The crazed lieutenant charged at her, frantically swing his ax in anger.

"Sorry... but the only scum I see around here..." Zoro rushed in, slashing his swords across his abdomen, leaving behind a cross slash of blood. "Is you."

Morgan fell to the ground, his eyes rolled into his skull. Blood began seeping into the soiled ground.

Zoro flung the excess blood from the weapons and sheathed their blades. He turned to the freed marines. "Anyone else want to fight?"

The marines looked at one another before throwing their weapons in the air, screaming cries of victory.

The swordsman shrugged and walked back to Lucy, exhausted. The strain of malnourishment began to finally kick in; he fell to the ground next to her.

"...Hungry..." he mumbled into dirt.

Lucy sighed, and bent down, patting him on the back.

"Yea, yea... Don't worry, I'll get you food. So just hang tight for now, 'kay?"

He closed his eyes, immediately falling asleep.

She stood up and walked over to the unconscious body of Coby, and repeatedly nudged him with her foot.

"Oi... Oi... Coby, wake up." She looked down at him, frowning, and then stepped on his abdomen. "I said... wake up!"

The pink haired boy sprung up screaming. "Ah! Don't kill me! I'm sorry!" He yelled, raising his arms to cover his face. "OW...!" He looked at his bleeding shoulder. "Oh... yea, that's right, I got shot..."

Lucy smiled, and gave him her hand and helped him up. "Yeah, I can see that… Don't worry, I'm pretty handy when it comes to sutures; you'll be patched up in no time!"

Coby nodded as he grabbed her hand, standing up.

The ravenette stepped over to Zoro's side and lifted him onto her back.

"Let's head to Rika's place…" Coby presented, tiredly. "Oh, that's the little girl from earlier- I'm sure she could help us out."

"If you say so..." Lucy mumbled. She looked back a-ways, spying the sly, orange-haired thief sneak out the back of the base, toting a huge sack on her back. "Well, at least Nami managed just fine. One less person in need of stitches."


	4. With Friends like These

**Chapter 4: With Friends like These**

* * *

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT-!"

"-Oh, stop complaining, it's just…- a stupid…- bullet! You're lucky I'm not…- making you remove it…- on your…- own!"

Coby lay on the covered cot, viciously shaking as Lucy tried to grab the bullet lodged inside the muscle of his shoulder.

"Damn it Coby…! If you keep squirming, then I won't be able to get it!" The ravenette scolded as she grabbed a new piece of gauze, and dabbed it in the wound, sopping up excess blood.

Zoro sat on the bed opposite them, quietly watching the scene in mild amusement.

Lucy forcefully covered the pinkette's mouth, and used her body to hold him still. She then took the forceps and finally pulled out the round object with a sigh of relief.

"Woo! I got it!" She held the bloody bullet in between in the palm of her hand. "The first bullet to pass through your body! Isn't that really memorable? ~ …Want to save it…?" She asked, placing her trusty sunglasses back over her eyes.

"NO! Why would I? That was horrible! I don't want to get shot ever again!" He said slapping her hand away.

In a small, homely guest room in a house just north of the Shells Town Docks, sat three weary guests. Borrowed medical supplies were messily strewn about the pine flooring, ranging from tapes and bandages, to needles and ruby soaked rags.

"But I thought you wanted to be an awesome marine? Awesome marines get shot at all the time; I'm sure that their bodies have been riddled full of bullet hole's by the end of their career." Lucy picked up the suturing kit and began to expertly stitch the cleanly cut skin back together in a matter of seconds.

Coby's eyes widened. "...I suppose..."

He looked up the ceiling, reality setting in. "I suppose you're right... I have to get a lot stronger don't I..." He turned to Lucy. "Even though I say that, I'm not really sure how… "

The ravenette grabbed a wash cloth and began cleaning up the wound and all the excess blood. "Well...I guess that's just something you end up figuring out along the way... I'm sure that as long as you want to get stronger, you will." She threw the bloodied wash cloth to the floor and picked up the bandages, wrapping them tightly around his shoulder.

She roughly patted the wound, causing Coby to cringe in pain. "There! All done! Who's next! ~" The teen turned to Zoro, grinning.

"Not me..." The swordsman shifted to face the wall. "I'll be fine after I sleep it off."

Lucy shrugged. "Alright then… Can't force you." She complied as the former bounty hunter immediately feel asleep within half a second of announcing the plan.

The pink-haired boy glumly moaned. "You forced me..." He muttered, his right hand finding its way to opposite bandaged shoulder.

The ravenette slapped his hand away from the injury. "But you could've gotten an infection or worse. You don't want'ta die right?"

"...!"

"Well... death might be a _bit_ of a stretch, but you'd defiantly wouldn't be able to 'sleep it off'." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"But, wow Coby you sure are opening up! In just two days, you went from being unable to get a word out without stuttering, to speaking in full, fluid, coherent sentences. That's a big improvement!"

Lucy pretended to rub a tear from her eye as she dramatically looked away. "Kids grow up so fast these days..."

The boy's cheeks began to flush scarlet. "Wh-what are you talking-!"

Lucy got off the bed and began to take off the blood splattered latex gloves; taking a quick peak out the window. Upon seeing the familiar orange-haired thief walking down the street, she threw open the window.

"Nami, up here…!"

The girl stopped, and looked up from the leather bound book she'd been scribbling in. "…Lucy…? Where the hell'd you run off too?!" She snapped the journal close and gripped her hips, "I had to carry that heavy bag all on my own you know!"

The younger girl rubbed her arm. "S-sorry…! It's just that, well, Coby got shot and Zoro passed out and…- I'm sorry!"

Nami sighed. "Whatever… Anyway, it looks like there's roughly thirty-two houses here; with eight of them doubling as businesses."

"And if we say maybe… three people per house..." Lucy ran numbers across her fingers. "That should be around 645,833 berries… Right?"

The red-head tapped her pen on her chin. "Yea, I already ran the numbers; Looks like divvying it up by property owned would be easier."

"So, what…? 1,550,000?"

"Yup."

"Alright then." Lucy looked behind her at the first-aid kit, thinking. "We'll meet you by docks in thirty minutes."

Before Nami could reply, Lucy had shut the window and closed the blinds. "Alright, shower time…" She kicked her boots off and rushed out of the room, almost tripping as she turned a tight corner. "See ya' in five!"

Coby blinked after he'd finished staring at the doorway in puzzlement. He sighed. "I don't think I understand anything, anymore…"

* * *

Nami sat at the bar of the pub below the home she'd seen Lucy in just twenty minutes prior. Impatiently tapped her fingers on the wood, she sipped a glass of orange juice that'd been kindly given to her on the house.

\- "Come on Zoro let's hit the road! ...Err, the sea in this case!" Lucy exclaimed, happily dragging an exhausted Zoro down the stairs.

\- "Damn, you're so noisy; keep it down, you're giving me a fuckin' migraine..."

\- "Sorry, sorry! I'll try to keep it down…! …IS THIS LOW ENOUGH FOR YOU…?!"

\- "Damn it, I said take it down! Not to go up a level! Haven't you ever heard of an "inside voice" before!"

Nami strangled the glass in her hand as she heard, more than saw, three people crashing loudly down the stairs into a mound.

Trapped between Coby and Zoro, Lucy pulled her arm out of the pile and pushed the door open to the bar. "…We… made it…"

"No thanks to you!" Zoro wacked her head. "Don't trip half-way down the stairs!"

Lucy puffed out her cherry red cheeks and looked away. "I didn't trip… I just… stumbled a little…" She shut her eyes and covered her ears. "It's not my fault…! That step just caught me off guard, that's all! I'll get it right next time, promise…!"

Coby rolled onto his back, tears streaming down behind his glasses in shock. _I don't think I can keep this up much longer…_ _So long cruel world…! At least I'll die free…_

"Stop talking to yourself Coby, we don't have time for your deep inner monologues…" Lucy stated, rubbing the bumps on her head which she'd simultaneously received from Zoro and Nami. "We really should get going before the Marines realize that their valuables have, (for some reason) mysteriously disappeared… and also maybe their logbooks and code charts too…"

"Of course we'd better leave!" Nami yelled at her. "Especially since you basically revealed the entire plan in front of those guys!" She sank to the floor, her face a ghastly blue. "I'm too pretty to go to jail…"

"…Well… I'm sure it's fine; I mean, I did kinda' bash their skulls in a little bit. I'm positive they won't even remember _each other_ , let alone some petite girls that beat the crap out of them." Lucy smiled optimistically. "Besides! It's not like you'd go to jail alone. We could be cell mates~!" She bumped her elbow into the older girls arm. "Break bread, share soap, maybe start a knitting club~?"

Nami sighed, her head dangling by a thread. " _Urk_ … Can you not…? I don't want to even _think_ about knitting…"

Sweat rolled down Lucy's temple. "Well gee, try not to get to excited there…"

Coby sat up and rubbed his head. "Umm… Lucy…? Where do you plan on going anyway?"

Lucy helped the pink-haired boy up and straightened the clean yellow-striped hoodie dress she'd received from Rika's mother. "I thought that was obvious. I've got to get back to the Grand Line."

Coby and Nami both stared at her mouths agape. "You're going to the Grand Line!?" They shouted in shock.

The ravenette tilted her head to the side. "Is… that a problem?"

Zoro tsked. "Of course not. There just scared."

"Oh…" Lucy looked at the duo, and blinked. "Why?"

"What do you mean why!?" Coby loudly asked. "Don't you know what they call that place?!"

The black-haired girl blankly stared at him. "Ugh…The Grand Line…?"

"They call it the Pirates Graveyard!" He answered. "Only a handful of pirates that have entered, ever came back. Their ships were all but destroyed, and they could only speak of the awful monstrosities that appeared…"

Lucy scratched her ear. "… Of course they don't come back, you do realize just how massive the Grand Line is right? Even if you rushed on through, it would take _at least_ four years to make it all the way around."

She stretched her arms into the air and swung a backpack over her shoulder. "Besides even if you wanted to turn back, it's almost impossible once you're far enough away from Reverse Mountain. Maps and compasses hold no meaning on the other side of the Red Line; hell, I'd never even _seen_ a compass in my life before Nami whipped one out earlier."

The gears began to shift into action inside Nami's head after Lucy had finished her expositional monologue. "…Wait…?! You mean there's no way to navigate?! How are you supposed to get anywhere?!"

Lucy smirked and tilted her nose toward the ceiling. "The Grand Line's a mysterious place, filled with things that would defy your understanding of common sense. Ah, the things I could teach you… Log Poses, vivre cards, shells that record and play sounds, migrating islands…"

Her conniving grin spoke; a testament to her words. "Not that any of that should interest you; seeing as how… you have no ambition of going there yourself. Such facts must bore you to tears."

A tick mark appeared on Nami's cheek. "I never said I wasn't interested in the Grand Line!"

"What's that? You'd love to come with me? ~ Why thank you!" The young ravenette grabbed her new target's wrist with her right hand, and Zoro's with her left.

"Adieu! Thanks for the altruistic contributions Ma'am! May your exemplary actions bring you, and the other fine residents of the fortuitous town, into an unforeseen sum of fruition upon our hasty, farewell escapade!"

Coby, Rika and her mother, watched quietly as the awkward trio bumbled through the bar room and into the streets like drunken sailors on a stormy night. To them, it was anything _but_ forgettable.

* * *

Coby glumly tapped the side of his iced beverage. _Well… what do I do now?_ He wondered as the drink glass began to condensate, a heavy bead of its sweat plopping onto his finger.

 _I was so stupid… there's no way I could join the Marines. All I managed to do was get shot and be in people's way…_

He sighed, taking his glasses off and slumping his head on the bar top. _Just another liability…_

As he sat there with his eyes closed, the tavern itself seemed to fade away into silence. Instead perhaps, like the rain that dived into puddles, all he seemed to hear were the droplets of water that trickled down the side of the cup against the table.

 _ **** "I… am sick of surviving, so fucking sick of it. I just want to start living again, even if it means I'll die." ****_

Coby tiredly creaked open his heavy eyelids, and stared at the wet patch beneath the drink. _To want something so bad, you're willing to die… Is there a feeling like that, in everyone…?_

He closed his eyes again and hid his face in his arms. _Lucy said she wanted to live so bad she was willing to die. I don't really get it, but…-_

"Even if it means I'll die…" He whispered to himself. _\- …at the same time I do._

Coby's eyes flung open and he reached for his glasses. "Thanks for the juice ma'am!" He hurriedly thanked as he dashed out the door.

" _ **-even if it means I'll die…"**_

Coby clamped his jaw tight as he ran to the Marine base.

- _I don't want to be a liability anymore._

 _-And I don't want to just sit around and wait for someone to make the decisions for me._

He pushed the metal gate open just wide enough for him to slip through and kept running with all his might.

 _-I told Lucy I wanted to become a Marine, and that's what I'm going to do damn it…!_

Coby stopped in front of the new ranking officer, his face red and out of breath. He bowed. "PLEASE LET ME JOIN THE MARINES! I'M READY TO DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES!"

The officer looked down at the panting boy covered in sweat and adjusted his cap uncomfortably. "… I take it you're Coby?"

The pinkette looked up at the caramel skinned marine. "… ugh… y-yes?"

The man sighed and shook his head dejectedly. "I've already heard the story, even if it was written out in cryptic partial truths and lies."

He cleared his throat. "Your… acquaintance… made it painstakingly clear that your history with Alvida wouldn't infringe with your placement into the Marines."

Coby stared at the officer in bewildered shock. "…huh…?"

* * *

"-Lucy! Wait…!"

Lucy took her hands out of her pocket as she heard a familiar call, but she didn't stop moving forward.

"He's calling for you." Nami stated as she looked over a map.

"…I heard him, but-" The ravenette bit the inside of her cheek. "He wants to be a marine, you know…? I'm just being respectful of that dream."

"So because of that respect you won't even say bye?" Nami exhaled quick sigh. "That's such a stupid reason."

"Well hey, I never claimed to be the brightest knife in the crayon box." Lucy bartered.

Coby ran, picking up, and losing speed intermittently as he chased to catch up with the raven haired girl. "Lucy…! Please stop! I really... have to…!"

Nami tripped the younger girl and then kept walking to the ship they would depart with.

Lucy mentally kicked herself and stood up, her face as red as a tomato. She waited.

"L-Lucy…!" Coby wheezed out at last having caught up. "You can't just help me without my knowledge and leave like it's no big deal!"

The girl scratched her cheek the crossed her arms; a freshly wrapped bandage tightly wound her right hand. "I… have no idea what you're talking about. Honestly, I'm clueless…"

Coby stared at her in disbelief.

Lucy sighed. "Fine… I maybe said a few things to make the pirate situation a little less prevalent. That's all."

She rubbed her left arm, and glanced back and forth between the pink haired boy and the wall beside her. "Now what? What more do you want me to stay?"

Coby jumped into high alert mode, heat rising up to his cheeks. "Oh, ugh… n-nothing! I just wanted…"

"For me to leave you some parting wisdom? I guess, let me just roll a wisdom check…" Lucy pretended to roll an invisible die. She shrugged and proceeded to clear her throat.

"…Defy the odds of commonality; not one person in this world is the same- what is true for one, does not always hold true for another. There are no "rights" and "wrongs" in the face of existence; abstract concepts such as "truth" and "ideals" are called as such for a reason. While sailing through the stormy seas of reality, how you navigate your ship is entirely up to you. Don't let the compass dictate your life- Sometimes… suffering, is the only true path to happiness…."

A brief moment of silenced fell between them.

"Eh-heh-heh…" Lucy rubbed the back of her head, giggling sheepishly. "Don't get too caught up on the wordy stuff; I was just trying to sound like this awesome character in a book I read~ … So, did it work? Did I seem cool? Capable? Perhaps worldly and wise, even~?"

The girl smiled and with a light-hearted giggle, pushed up Coby's glasses to sit atop his head. "Well, lucky for you, one needs neither "capability" nor glasses to see the way forward; just courage and an unshakeable will." She winked cutely and held her pointer finger in front of his nose. "So don't over rely on those glasses too much. Dependency is when a crutch meant to help eventually hurts you. Your vision is controlled by muscles, same as the rest of your body-! Get what I'm saying?"

"Wha..? Wait!" Coby called in desperation, as he watched through hazy eyes, the petite ravenette swiftly jump her way onto a scouting naval ship.

"Go see the world through your own eyes! And once you're strong enough, come challenge Zoro to a fight, okay?!"

"Hey! Don't go making challenges for me!" Zoro scolded as he un-moored the docked vessel.

She stood on the wooden bulwark, and turned around to face the chubby pink-haired boy. "Just have some faith in yourself, and go turn some heads! If anyone has what it takes to be a great marine, it's defiantly you! I'm glad I met such a wonderful friend on this wide blue sea!"

 _-Even if I die…_

Lucy cupped her hands around her mouth in aid of projecting her voice. "Coby! Just remember- Even if no one else does, I'll always believe in you!"

 _-Even if I die…_

Coby wished that moment never ended. For the very first time, someone believed in him. For the very first time, someone was _glad_ to call him their friend.

 _-Even if I die…_

If only he could stop the stinging tears from pouring down his face.

 _-Even if I die, I'll become a hero too…!_


End file.
